Barriers of access to oral health care among university students in southern Colombia, 2011. A multivariate analysis

Background. The right to health is considered to be a fundamental human right. Therefore, it is a starting point from which to combat unjust and immoral inequalities. It is essential to study the process through which a need for attention is completely satisfied. Objective. To analyze determinants of access to oral health care among university students in municipality of Pasto. Materials and methods. A sample of 338 university students answered a confidential survey that was based upon previous studies using a health care services utilization behavioral model. Results. In terms of enabling factors, the students that responded as ‘having a bad health state’ were those that used oral health care services the most in last year, while those students that responded as “being dissatisfied with the appearance of their teeth’ used oral health care services less. In relation to need factors, the students whose quality of life was not affected by physical impairment and physical pain used oral health care services less. Predisposing factors were not statistically significant. Conclusions. This study found that enabling and need factors were associated with recent dental consultations by university students in the municipality of Pasto